[Dan Herrmann]

I'm watching Morning Joe, and one of the bumper songs is from Supertramp. Song that was big when I was in college. For some reason, I have this reflex - it's time to go play golf at Sheridan Park - the course back in Buffalo I grew up playing.

Sheridan is quirky, short, cheap, and amazingly fun.  It was designed by William Harries.   Run by the Town of Tonawanda, it's a perfect municipal course.

We really need more golf courses like Sheridan - without Sheridan (which cost me $60 per year to play in 1980), I'd have never taken up the game I love so much.

Here's a program from the 1962 USGA Public Links, held at Sheridan: http://www.sheridanparkgolfclub.com/history/1962publinx.html

[Jeff_Brauer]

Dan,

Hear, Hear.

While my actual first round of golf was at Medinah, courtesy of the next door neighbors, I was soon relegated to the local munis and publics, like Rob Roy, Mt Prospect Municipal, Buffalo Grove Muni, Palatine Hills and the semi private Old Orchard.  had a whale of a time.  Set my life up, really.

[Tom_Doak]

I'm watching Morning Joe, and one of the bumper songs is from Supertramp. Song that was big when I was in college. For some reason, I have this reflex - it's time to go play golf at Sheridan Park - the course back in Buffalo I grew up playing.

Sheridan is quirky, short, cheap, and amazingly fun.  It was designed by William Harries.   Run by the Town of Tonawanda, it's a perfect municipal course.

We really need more golf courses like Sheridan - without Sheridan (which cost me $60 per year to play in 1980), I'd have never taken up the game I love so much.

+2

A lot of people on the board already know this, but I had the opportunity to play golf as a kid mainly because the late Geoffrey Cornish designed a municipal course a mile from my home in Stamford, CT -- Sterling Farms -- which opened when I was ten years old.  I'm told Mr. Cornish's fee for such projects was $1,000 (plus another $1,000 if they wanted him to make supervisory visits), and that's one of the factors that allowed the city to let juniors play for $1 after 3 p.m.

There were several fine country clubs within a few miles of where I lived, but my family didn't play much golf, so we didn't belong ... and by the time I got serious about it, the waiting lists were much too long for it to make any sense to join one of them.  We did go play on vacations, and that's how I got interested in golf architecture, but I would never have had the chance to play if it wasn't for the proximity of a good muni.

[Jason Topp]

Agreed.  I paid $40 per year at the course where I started and $150 per year all the way through high school.  I wan't allowed to join a bowling league because it was too expensive but I could afford to play golf. 

[Tom_Doak]

Agreed.  I paid $40 per year at the course where I started and $150 per year all the way through high school.  I wan't allowed to join a bowling league because it was too expensive but I could afford to play golf. 

That will put things in perspective for some people here.

[JMEvensky]

Agreed.  I paid $40 per year at the course where I started and $150 per year all the way through high school.  I wan't allowed to join a bowling league because it was too expensive but I could afford to play golf. 

That will put things in perspective for some people here.

An older perspective--when I was growing up,we paid $25 for a summer-long pass good for green fees at any municipal course.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Honestly, muni's have to fight that perception that they need to lose money on the average Joe, at least in these budget crunching days.  Those season passes are real revenue killers.  I would recommend they charge juniors $5 each time, and seniors $15-20 each time.  Too many seniors pay the current $300 a year and play 300 times!

[Matthew Petersen]

Grew up playing the munis of Aurora and Denver (CO). Aurora offered a par 3 course (Centre Hills), an executive (Springhill), and two 18-holers (Aurora Hills and Meadow Hills). For several years I took summer "lessons" at those courses--the greatest feature of which was that on Fridays, after the lesson, you could play the back nine for $1. Made my first birdie on one of those morning 9s.

[jeffwarne]

Agreed.  I paid $40 per year at the course where I started and $150 per year all the way through high school.  I wan't allowed to join a bowling league because it was too expensive but I could afford to play golf. 

That will put things in perspective for some people here.

That's actually quite true in of all places where I live, The hamptons.
Sag harbor Golf Club is $400 for the year and my son's membership is $100.
It's open all winter as well.
Anyone can play all day for $18
Bowling is $55/hour +++

[Mark_Rowlinson]

There are very few municipal courses in our part of North-West England, but the Wirral is well provided for and Hoylake Municipal is a pretty decent course. We do, however, have lots of pay-and-play courses owned privately and these can vary from £10 for a simple 9-holer to £25 for an 18-hole round. Some of these are pretty awful and others are average to moderately good but they provide an opportunity for beginners, occasional golfers to play inexpensively which the grander members' clubs do not. Of course, Reddish Vale offers all sorts of bargain deals and that is a most enjoyable (and challenging) course.

[Tommy Williamsen]

i grew up playing military golf courses at Fort Devens Mass, Berlin, Germany, and Fort Meade MD.  We could have a family membership for $60 a year. I owe my love of the game to playing those courses and the pros who worked there.  Now they are closing both courses at Fort Meade.  It kinda breaks my heart.  There had been 36 holes but 9 holes were closed a few years ago.  There is talk of building a new course but I wouldn't hold my breath. Lou Graham, winner of the 75 US Open, was one of the pros. He along with Head Pro Carl Rasnic instilled a love of the game and its attending gentlemanly behavior.

[Tommy Williamsen]

There are very few municipal courses in our part of North-West England, but the Wirral is well provided for and Hoylake Municipal is a pretty decent course. We do, however, have lots of pay-and-play courses owned privately and these can vary from £10 for a simple 9-holer to £25 for an 18-hole round. Some of these are pretty awful and others are average to moderately good but they provide an opportunity for beginners, occasional golfers to play inexpensively which the grander members' clubs do not. Of course, Reddish Vale offers all sorts of bargain deals and that is a most enjoyable (and challenging) course.

Mark, I know that your boys were able to join some of the clubs in your area because of greatly reduced dues.  It is a wonderful way for kids to be able to enjoy the game.

[Scott Szabo]

Similar story here.  I grew up playing our local muni here in Sterling at the junior rate of $125 per year.  Most days throughout the summer we played 36, sometimes even 54 holes a day.  Mom dropped me off at about 8:00 in the morning and came and picked me up a little before 5:00.  The owners always had the kids in for lunch and gave us hot dogs and a pop, free of charge.  Those were the days...

[Bob_Huntley]

Every one who posted here should read Bill Pennington's book "On Par." Some very good chapters on Munis and Nine Hole Courses.


Bob

[Carl Rogers]

I have a similar story to the above .... non-golfing family, an Uncle by marriage and his brother that were occasional golfers that let me tag along at first and then play(after earning enough $ to buy some clubs), very cheap burned out muni, then high school golf team, we were not very good but better than the competition .... got to be a 3 for a short period 20 years ago, 5 aces lifetime .... still want to get better.

[Matt Ingraham]

I grew up playing the two courses ran by the city of Mesa (Dobson Ranch & Riverview).  Riverview was the shorter of the two and only had nine holes but in the early 90's it was $3 for a junior to play or $25 for the junior monthly pass.  My buddy's grandmother would drop us off after lunch and my mom would pick us up when she got off work.   


 

[Dan Herrmann]

Just checked - a youth season pass for my Sheridan Park/Brighton Park courses is now $225 per year for unlimited golf at either course.

Those were good times (say, 1980-ish).  Rode my 3-speed Huffy to the course every day - my golf bag on a ragged old Cart Boy I garbage picked.  I tucked the handle of the cart under my bike seat and chained it up so it wouldn't get away.  I'd get there at 8:30 and leave after 6pm.   

In a similar vein, I finally got my tail out to play Cobbs Creek this winter with Joe Bausch and Mike Cirba.  What a cool golf course, and, being winter, we could see some of the original routing (which will hopefully be restored someday).

Portland, OR has a great set of municipal courses too.  Used to play Rose City, Heron Lakes, and Progress Downs (now renamed).  Of course, Eastmoreland is the gem - she held the USGA Public Links back in the 1990's.   I played the day after the Publinx and the conditions were better than my "high end" private club up by the airport. 

[Matthew Rose]

In 1983, at the tender age of six, I was taken to the Jim Ager Junior golf course in Lincoln, Nebraska. I believe it cost $1.20 to play nine holes.

I moved to Wisconsin the next year and began playing at Riverside muni in Janesville. The junior rate for 9 holes was $3.75. For my 10th birthday in 1987, I was given a season pass and I think it might have been $55.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Every time I tee it up at one of my clubs or at a high profile course, I still have to pinch myself and I give thanks for those inexpensive clubs and the staff that nurtured my love of the game and my growth as a man.

[Dan Herrmann]

Tommy. So true!  The first time I players with a caddy, I almost threw up because I was so nervous.   I still can't get myself to let a caddy rake a bunker for me....I feel too guilty.   :-)

[Bill Gayne]

It's been a long time since I've played a muni but I took up the game at North Fulton in Atlanta. It's probably been close to twenty years since the last time I played at North Fulton but would love to go back someday for another round.

[David Harshbarger]

How about we all go out and play a Muni this week?  And while we are at it, take some pics, and write it up?

[Tony_Chapman]

In 1983, at the tender age of six, I was taken to the Jim Ager Junior golf course in Lincoln, Nebraska. I believe it cost $1.20 to play nine holes.

Matt -- Some of my fondest memories of golf are from playing the Optimist Jr. Tournament at Jim Ager as a kid. In fact, my brother and two cousins try to get together for some golf every fall or spring and on a whim a few years ago after playing Beatrice CC I said let's go over to Jim Ager for old times sake. Even as adults it was a blast and still only about $7 to play nine holes.

I wish we could come to a place that highlighted under-appreciate municpal/public courses. I know Tom's work in Denver as Commonground has been lauded here and other places. And, I know I call myself a Brauer-homer, but I truly believe the man saved public golf in Nebraska in the mid-80s and early 90s with his municipal course in Lincoln -- Highlands and his privately-owned course just east of Lincoln called Woodland Hills. I know he'd sure take some do-overs on some of those but it really spearheaded a growth of great golf in our state. His effort in Newton, KS at Sand Creek Station is some of the best municpal golf built in the nation in the last 10-15 years I would guess. Congrats to him on the 2014 US Publinks there.

[Philip Caccamise]

Just checked - a youth season pass for my Sheridan Park/Brighton Park courses is now $225 per year for unlimited golf at either course.

Those were good times (say, 1980-ish).  Rode my 3-speed Huffy to the course every day - my golf bag on a ragged old Cart Boy I garbage picked.  I tucked the handle of the cart under my bike seat and chained it up so it wouldn't get away.  I'd get there at 8:30 and leave after 6pm.   

In a similar vein, I finally got my tail out to play Cobbs Creek this winter with Joe Bausch and Mike Cirba.  What a cool golf course, and, being winter, we could see some of the original routing (which will hopefully be restored someday).

Portland, OR has a great set of municipal courses too.  Used to play Rose City, Heron Lakes, and Progress Downs (now renamed).  Of course, Eastmoreland is the gem - she held the USGA Public Links back in the 1990's.   I played the day after the Publinx and the conditions were better than my "high end" private club up by the airport. 

I also grew up playing the munis of WNY... the Grover and Sheridan early on, and then Durand Eastman and Genesee Valley later on. In that vein, I've got a goal of playing every top 50 muni on the Golfweek list. Here's their most recent list. http://golfweek.com/news/2012/may/24/golfweeks-best-municipal-courses-2011-12/

[Ben Voelker]

In 1983, at the tender age of six, I was taken to the Jim Ager Junior golf course in Lincoln, Nebraska. I believe it cost $1.20 to play nine holes.

Matt -- Some of my fondest memories of golf are from playing the Optimist Jr. Tournament at Jim Ager as a kid. In fact, my brother and two cousins try to get together for some golf every fall or spring and on a whim a few years ago after playing Beatrice CC I said let's go over to Jim Ager for old times sake. Even as adults it was a blast and still only about $7 to play nine holes.

I wish we could come to a place that highlighted under-appreciate municpal/public courses. I know Tom's work in Denver as Commonground has been lauded here and other places. And, I know I call myself a Brauer-homer, but I truly believe the man saved public golf in Nebraska in the mid-80s and early 90s with his municipal course in Lincoln -- Highlands and his privately-owned course just east of Lincoln called Woodland Hills. I know he'd sure take some do-overs on some of those but it really spearheaded a growth of great golf in our state. His effort in Newton, KS at Sand Creek Station is some of the best municpal golf built in the nation in the last 10-15 years I would guess. Congrats to him on the 2014 US Publinks there.

I learned the game at Jim Ager as well.  I remember playing "freshman golf" at Jim Ager in high school, which was basically the rec league for all of the 9th graders who were not good enough to make the high school team.  We played every day (for free by the way) after school and it while I was already big into golf, I think it planted the final seed.

Tony,

I LOVE Highlands.  I played quite a bit there when I was a kid and it was my first real exposure to strategic golf.  Especially on the front nine, there are some really solid holes like 1,5,7 and 9.  I have been planning on posting a photo tour of the course when I have a chance, but live in New Jersey now, so it will have wait until I go back again for a visit.

Its funny how many people on this golf board seem to come from Lincoln...

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